What happened on Day 3 of the 4th IND vs ENG 2024 Test?

Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (5/51) and Kuldeep Yadav (4/22) starred with the ball to put India in command of the Ranchi Test against England on Day 3 on Sunday, Feb. 25.

After Dhruv Jurel’s defiant 90 cut down England’s first-innings lead to 46, Ashwin and Kuldeep combined to bowl the visitors out for 145 in 53.5 overs in their second innings. Chasing a target of 192, India went to stumps at 40/0 after eight overs, with Rohit Sharma unbeaten on 24 and Yashasvi Jaiswal on 16.

Ashwin opened the bowling in the second innings and India were in command from the word go. Ben Duckett (15) chipped a catch off the bowler to short leg. With the very next ball, the off-spinner trapped Ollie Pope (0) leg before by beating his outside edge and hitting him on the back pad. Zak Crawley continued to remain aggressive and smashed Ashwin for three fours in an over.

At the other end, though, the seasoned spinner struck a big blow, trapping first innings centurion Joe Root leg before for 11 with a full and straight delivery. India used DRS to get the not out decision overturned and Ashwin jumped with joy at the verdict. Just like in the first innings, Jonny Bairstow came in and took on the Indian bowlers even as Crawley reached an aggressive fifty at the other end.

Bairstow and Crawley had added 45 for the fourth wicket when Kuldeep ended the stand with a ripper. He got one to spin back sharply and cleaned up Crawley (60) through the gate. England captain Ben Stokes (4) was dismissed in unfortunate fashion. He defended a delivery from Kuldeep that kept low, but the ball hit his shin and went in between his legs to dislodge the bail to bails.

England went to tea on Day 3 at 120/5, but the score read 120/6 as Bairstow perished on the first ball of the last session, chipping a tossed up delivery from Ravindra Jadeja to short cover. Tom Hartley (7) fell in his endeavor to take on Kuldeep, nicely caught by a diving Sarfaraz Khan at deepish mid-on. Ollie Robinson (0) was dismissed lbw in the same over, caught in front by one that turned in from a length

Ashwin picked up the last two wickets to fall to complete a well-deserved five-fer. Ben Foakes (17) chipped a return catch to the off-spinner, while James Anderson (0) was smartly caught behind by Jurel as he attempted a fancy reverse sweep.

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Jurel hits 90 to frustrate England

Earlier in the day, India resumed their first innings on 219/7 and pushed their total to 307. Overnight batters Jurel and Kuldeep continued to defy England and ended up featuring in an eight-wicket stand of 76. The stubborn stand was broken when Kuldeep (28 off 131) tried to defend a delivery from Anderson, but the ball hit his front foot and deflected back onto the stumps.

Jurel, however, continued to pile on the agony for England in the company of Akash Deep (9). The duo added 40 for the ninth wicket as India inched closer to 300.

Jurel was looking set for his maiden Test ton, but was bowled by a beauty from Hartley that angled in and spun away. Jurel’s 90 came off 149 balls and included six fours and four sixes, bringing India right back into the contest.